


Drug Bust

by QueenBookBuff



Series: High on Summer [9]
Category: That '70s Show
Genre: F/M, Fighting, Friend vs. Friend, Hyde loving Jackie, Love Confession, Some Canon, alternative universe, finding out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:28:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29890806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenBookBuff/pseuds/QueenBookBuff
Summary: Kelso knows Jackie and Hyde are together. Hard conversations are had and friendships change.
Relationships: Jackie Burkhart/Michael Kelso, Jackie Burkhart/Steven Hyde, Steven Hyde/Michael Kelso
Series: High on Summer [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1978360
Comments: 10
Kudos: 15





	Drug Bust

**Author's Note:**

> I am having a hard time deciding if I should end it here or continue on addressing a few other things. I really like this series, but worry, I am carrying it on when it needs to end. I already have Hyde cheating with the nurse sketched out, and I really like that chapter. 
> 
> I'm behind on Scarlet and SJ and I need to wrap up Somewhere along the way. I'm deep into Love Story, and I have a whole need universe I am working on. 
> 
> Ugh...... some many ideas. I am laid up in bed after my second covid shot so.... I am confident my editing sucks. 
> 
> QBB

**_Kelso_ **

I wonder if I will ever be smart enough to not fight with Hyde. It seems like no matter what I do, Hyde always wins and I always get hit in the eye. This time was no different. I lean my head against the porch post and hold ice to my sore face. I smile a tiny bit. You can always count on Mrs. Forman to take care of you if you get hurt. She is great like that. My smile fades away when I remember why I am out here, why this punch hurt more. I know I’m lucky to be standing at all. When I lost it, and flew out the door at them, I took it too far. I lean deeper into porch post, and run back the events that altered my life.

* * *

Earlier

_Jackie’s hand reaches out to someone behind her. Her smile is brillant, and alive with mischief. I know instantly that whoever she is reaching out to, is who she is with. I feel it in my heart. Then my whole world starts to spin as Hyde appears._

_My mouth drops open and I utter “What The Fuck?”_

_I am dimly aware of Eric muttering “Shit” but I’m lost in the horror show in front of me._

_Hyde whirls Jackie to him without hesitation and she softly giggles. Her face is sweet, and full of laughter. I feel my knees go weak, the room spins, my stomach revolts when Hyde takes her face into his hands and kisses her. Worse than Hyde kissing the girl I’ve loved forever is the way Jackie snakes her arms around him, and melts into him. I watch him pull her even closer her to him, and deepen the kiss._

_“He’s dead” I yell._

_I’m out the screen door, and pushing him away from Jackie. I didn’t even think twice about her. It is almost like I forget she is the reason I am losing it. The memory lapse isn’t long, because I hear her cry of pain enter my haze of hate. I realize when I pushed between them she fell._

_Hyde’s eyes move past me to a Jackie flat on the concrete. He’s around me in a second. I watch him kneel by her, his concern evident._

_“Grasshopper? You okay?”_

_I watch her nod. He pulls her up, and whispers to her. She walks into the kitchen where a stunned Eric and Donna stand. I hear her ask Donna to go downstairs with her. I watch Hyde’s gaze follow her until she is out of sight. He instantly turns and shoves me hard._

_“What the hell is wrong with you? You could have hurt her! She just got out of the damn hospital you idiot.”_

_It was like he didn’t even realize why I pushed him. He didn’t seem to care he had been kissing my girl at all. His contempt for me sends me over the edge._

_“What’s wrong with me? You were kissing Jackie. My Jackie!”_

_I should have known better. How long have I known him? Yet, the frost in his eyes and his stance changing to combative did nothing to warn me._

_“She’s not your Jackie. You guys broke up. You bailed on her.”_

_I lose my mind and take a swing, and for the first time the swing that comes back at my face is a real one._

* * *

Hyde dogged me and took away Jackie. It actually makes my stomach hurt to think about seeing Jackie wrapped around Hyde. Jackie with Hyde is my worst nightmare realized. 

“Michael” floats to my ears.

I want to keep my eyes close, maybe if I don’t see her, I can pretend none of this is real. I know the minute I study her eyes I am going to know if this is something real to her or her version of beach trash. I don’t want her with Hyde at all, but having a good time and really caring are two different things. 

Jackie Burkhart has been my whole world for the last three years. I’ve loved her, been driven nuts by her, missed her, wanted her, cheated on her, and broken up with her. Through all our ups and downs I just assumed she would always be waiting. It had never occurred to me Jackie could stop wanting me. It never even crossed my mind that one day, I wouldn’t call her mine.

There is a Jackie and I nobody ever knew or understood. It was the private version of us. It was the part of me that could be the person my friends would make fun of. I could tell her my dreams and desires. She has this amazing way of believing in you so much that you believe in yourself. She can be so sweet when she wants to be. I love that Jackie. I would be lying my ass off I didn’t admit I wasn’t madly attracted to her. My girl is simply stunning, and her love is like basking in the sun. It is killing me to know my private Jackie is no longer mine to see.

“Michael, you have to look at me. Come on, we need to talk.” She whispers.

I feel myself start to get pissed. My tone is hurt and sharp. 

“Oh, you want to talk now? You didn’t bother to tell me that you and Hyde were a thing.”

I should have anticipated it, but in my cloud of hurt feelings, I forgot Jackie is and always will be violent. She kicks me as hard as she can. I yell in pain,

“Damn Jackie! That hurt! What the hell?” 

I whirl to her. I see anger flaming in her eyes, but her words are winter cold.

“You’re mad I didn’t tell you about Steven? What about telling me you were leaving? How about not even bothering to call me for a whole summer? I can’t believe you thought you could break my heart, waltz home, and get me back. You are such a jerk, Kelso!”

I hear nothing but the last word. She called me _“Kelso”_ I actually feel my heart stutter in my chest. Even at our worst, she has never called me anything but Michael. I know what she is doing. She is separating herself from me. She is the only person besides Mrs. Forman who calls me Michael. It is special and something that is only hers. Even worse…. She called Hyde, Steven. I want to be sick. I so badly want them to be merely screwing around. I want Jackie to have kept her heart. If Hyde has it, I will never get it back. I’ve been harboring a silent fear about Hyde and Jackie for a long time.

I have to ask the question, the one that will tell me if this is serious between them. I can’t look at her and ask. I don’t want to ask but I need to.

“Jackie, I’m going to ask something. Please don’t hit me. I know I shouldn’t, but I need to.” 

I take her silence as agreement she won’t kick my ass. I take a deep breath and plunge into the brink,

“Did you sleep with him?”

I hear her take a sharp breath, and the question hangs between us like an executioner’s axe.

* * *

_**Hyde** _

I’m headed back towards the Formans. After I punched Kelso in the face and Eric got between us, I decided to walk it off. I needed to get my thoughts in order. I expected Kelso to be offended, because it is his nature to be a martyr, but I didn’t anticipate seeing real hurt. I didn’t believe I would see actual care for Jackie in Kelso’s eyes. It makes me feel shitty. Not shitty enough to give her up, but shitty nonetheless. As I come around the corner of the house I see Kelso leaning against the back patio post, with Jackie intimately close to him. I feel instant jealousy at the sight of them. I don’t like how Jackie is angling her body towards Kelso. She has a softness about her. My worst fear is she will remember how she feels about the cheating dumbass, and leave me high and dry. I stop and decide to watch. Then I hear Kelso’s words and I am instantly pissed.

“Did you sleep with him?” 

I hold my breath. Would she admit it? I watch her turn her head away before she answers.

“Why is it any of your business? We were broken up. What I did or didn’t do is no longer your concern.” she replies flatly.

I watch Kelso turn to her, grab her chin, forcing her to look at him. I almost charge forward and rip Kelso’s hands off his wrists for touching Jackie. I’m about to lose it, when a soft tone I’ve never heard from Kelso reaches my ears.

“You know why I’m asking. I know how you are about sex. I need to know.” 

I watch Jackie’s eyes never waver from Kelso’s gaze, I am completely hypnotized by what is going on between the two former lovers. Her soft tone slips to my ears, with one single word.

“Yes.”

I watch Kelso’s face go forgotten ash white. I don't understand. Sure Kelso might be pissed that his ex girl was with his friend, but this was pain. I need more information. I want to understand what had just happened between them.

“So, that’s it then.” I hear Kelso say bitterly.

I watch one single tear fall down Jackie’s face. I want to go to her, but I am glued to the spot trying to decode their words. 

“You know I couldn’t have been with him, unless I loved him. This isn’t casual for me.”

I feel a guilty sensation tripping through my stomach watching this go down. This is something completely private between them. This is a Kelso and Jackie that is intimate, and personal. This is Kelso’s Jackie. The Jackie we never saw, and made him always sign up for more. I know shouldn’t be there, but I’ll be damn if I leave her. He gave her up. She’s mine. I’ll fight him to the death for her. I watch Kelso bring her eyes back to his. His voice is softer, but the hurt and sadness is evident. He is searching her collaged eyes. Eyes that can’t lie. Eyes that tell her story. He is looking for Jackie’s truth. He whispers to her,

“Anyone but him Jackie. I think I could let you go to anyone what but him.” 

I feel my blood to start to boil, does Kelso think he is better then me?. Then another revelation is brought front and center.

“I don’t know what that means. Why is he the problem?” I hear Jackie ask.

I hold my breath, and wait for an answer. What I hear proves I haven’t been giving Kelso enough credit. He is more perceptive than I have ever believed. 

“Because I’ve always hated how you were with him. I’ve known for years there was something between you two. I’m stupid Jackie, but not that stupid.”

I watch her face get angry, and that famous Jackie temper comes flying to the surface.

“Screw you Kelso! I was never unfaithful to you. Don’t you dare get righteous with me. You cheated on me multiple times. I was never once over the line with Steven, and he has spent most of his life hating me. So don’t turn this around on me. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Kelso’s face gets red and I am surprised when I watch his temper boil over. It’s a rare sight to see him actually lose it, but Jackie could cause a monk to flip.

“Bullshit Jackie. You don’t think I didn’t see your face on Prom night? How about you always running to him when you were upset about us? How about Zen lessons? How about you chasing him around last fall? You may never have cheated on me, but your heart wasn’t always mine.”

I watch Jackie’s eyes slide away, and her face pale. I feel my heart pickup. Is Kelso implying she has always had a thing for me? The surprises keep coming when Kelso continues his rant.

“I’ve known Hyde forever, he’s always had something for you, even if he didn’t know it. He took you to Prom. I saw his face as well, dancing with you. Why do you think I was so pissed that night? How many times did he try to get me caught for cheating? For a guy who hates emotion, he always comforted you. He’s made an acception for you like no one else.”

“I didn’t do this to hurt you.” Jackie whispers

“Hyde might care about you Jackie, but he doesn't love you back. You have to know that. He’s going to break your heart. I know I hurt you, but Jackie I’ve always loved you, I still love you. I know I bailed. Maybe I needed to, so I could figure out you are the only girl for me. I love you Jackie. Hyde’s never going to feel that way about you. He just isn’t made that way. Why throw yourself where you know you aren’t going to be caught?”

I ball my fist, I want to kill Kelso. Kelso has no idea how I feel. He doesn’t know that Jackie is everything. He doesn’t know my whole world stopped when I thought she was lost to me. He doesn’t know I told Eric, I would pick her over him. He has no idea, I love her.

I watch another tear fall down her face, and she replies with a sincerity that fills me warmth. It is the same tone she uses when she talks in her sleep revealing her heart’s secret wishes.

“I know he doesn't love me. You’re right, I am risking a lot, but he’s worth it. I believe he won’t let me fall.”

Her declaration has opposite effects on us. I see Kelso’s shoulders fall and his chest deflate. For me I feel an intense strength fill my body. Jackie’s blind faith is powerful. It makes you believe in yourself. It makes you want to be better. It makes you desperate to be the man Jackie sees. Her willing to risk her heart when I haven’t told her I love her back, is reckless. She has no reason to believe what she does, but she is boldly putting herself out there. I continue my silent vow to be hers, and I will be damned if I let her fall.

I watch her squeeze Kelso hand, raise up on her tippy toes, and kiss him on the check. It’s sweet and intimate. I loathe it on principle, but I also know it is her goodbye. She starts to turn and head to the house.

I know this is my cue to make my presence known. I walk all the way around the corner and pull her attention to me.

“Hey Doll.” I say to her with a softness that is unusual for me, but after hearing everything I did, I can’t help but feel sweeter and tenderly for her. Her face lights up at the sight of me. My blood heats, the rush starts, and all my other feelings run away. I simply feel her. She is truly everything. It scares the hell out of me, but I’m in too deep now. When she reaches me all the weariness and sadness that had stained her face while talking to Kelso is wiped clean. I get another arrogant surge of satisfaction that I have such a profound affect on her. She kisses me lightly in greeting on the lips. I grab her close, pressing her body tightly to mine and I deepened the kiss. How I feel for her won’t escape my throat, but I want her to feel it. I push, fold, press, and give her everything she is to me in our kiss. I want her to know I will catch her if she falls. I want her to know I’m her homebase. I want her to know that I would do anything for her. I want her to know that even though words fail and scare the hell out of me, she is my tomorrow. She pulls back, her smile brilliant and I’m lost in the sensation of knowledge. The knowledge that the love pour of her is for me. 

“I was just headed to basement. Were you looking for me?” she asks sweetly. 

“I was looking for Kelso, but I’m happy I ran into you. Why don’t you head down to the basement, I’ll be down in a minute.”

I watch her eyes cloud. She grabs my hand, and whispers “Be kind. I know he doesn’t deserve it all the time, but he means well.”

She kisses me quickly and heads towards the basement. I wait until she is out of sight, and I look towards my adversary. 

I know without a single doubt that Kelso watched the whole exchange. The look he is giving me is one of pure loathing and hurt mixed together. I want to be sorry Kelso is hurt, I do; but I’m not as much as I should. I do want him to know this wasn’t about him. Being with Jackie was never about fucking with Kelso. It was always about me needing to feed the insanity she stirs in me. 

I walk up to Kelso and try to lay it on the line. “Listen Man…… I know you are upset. I didn’t do this to screw you over.”

“Whatever Hyde….. You didn’t have to screw around with Jackie. You could have spent your whole summer fucking around with any girl you wanted. Why couldn’t you leave her alone?”

I sense my temper rising, but I don’t want to fight with him. It will only cause drama in the basement and it will only hurt Jackie. I have no interest in her being used as a weapon between Kelso and I.

“I’m not just fucking around with Jackie. I’m not just screwing her Kelso. I like her. I really like her.”

His eyes mock mine at the mere idea that I could actually give a damn about her. His lips snarl in disbelief, and his words are a statement to where our friendship is headed.

“Give me a break Hyde. Like you’ve ever given a damn about any girl. Don’t lie to me. I know what happened. It was just you and Jackie all summer and you got bored. So you decided to burn me and fuck around with her. You’re an asshole. She doesn’t deserve to be played around with. Damn Hyde, this is low even for you. She is supposed to be our friend.”

Any idea of trying to not kick his ass flies right out the window, and I shove him hard.

“Fuck You Kelso! You ran away. You cheated so many times it isn’t even funny. You lied and played Jackie like a violin. You’re the asshole. You spent your whole summer screwing beach bimbos and you want to get self righteous with me.”

His bullshit sends me over the edge I was clinging to. The edge of our friendship, my loyalty to him, and my desire to not turn this into a blood bath. Kelso loses his damn mind and makes a mistake...he decides to try to take me on. He pushes me hard in the chest, causing me to stumble. I immediately shift my weight, take a defensive stance, and I swing with every inch of past pissed. There is a lot packed in my punch. Inside my fist is Pam Macy, Laurie, The girl he screwed from Perpetual Sorrow. Alive in my knuckles is all the taunts and jeers about Jackie meaning nothing. The power behind my swing is my undeniable rage at his unshakeable belief that he thinks he deserves her. 

I start forward to pounce again. I’m more than ready to settle a score years in the making, when I feel hands on me. I jerk away assuming they belong to Eric trying to save me from killing one of our oldest friends. They grab me again and I am forced to pay attention. I remove my eyes from the bleeding Kelso, to the fingers hold my arm tightly. I follow those petite, but strong fingers up a delicate arm that is connected to a body that doesn’t quit. I keep moving my gaze until it falls on her doll like features. All the earlier relief and sweetness is gone, and her face is etched with concern. She speaks for only me to hear, because at this point we have been joined by all our friends. 

“Steven, stop. Please.” 

Her arms go around me, and she buries herself into my arms, and whispers out.

“I don’t want this. Whatever he said. Whatever he did… I don’t want this. You can’t pay out years off Michael hurting me.”

While she speaks, her hands are soothing me. I pull her close, and brush my lips to hers. I don’t care who is watching or if I get shit later. I need her taste to leash the brutality that wars inside of me. I crave her touch because it makes me feel a calm, I didn’t know was possible. I obsess about the words she says to me because I need them get through the day. I need Jackie. She’s my rush. She’s my high. She’s the balm after the exhilaration of a drug induced haze. Jackie is addiction in human form. I’m lost to how she makes me feel and I’m not willing to ever to get sober. 

The desire to pound the shit out of Kelso is still overwhelming, but my desire to be her hero overrides the bloodlust singing in my veins. She is gathered in my arms, her face tucked in my chest. I take a deep breath, and whisper back something I’ve said a million times, but this time it means so much more. 

“Anything for you Doll.” And I mean it. Anything for her. Anything. 

What she can’t see is while my words are wrapping around her, my eyes open and find my fallen friend on the ground. Our eyes lock, and his message is clear he wants to kill me. I can see the desire to rip Jackie out of my arms, and for us to finish the fight. I hope my message is plain to see as well. It’s a version of what I just whispered to Jackie. It’s more than a truth, it’s my vow. I hope his stupid ass comprehends it. My usually carefully shielded eyes are telling him my promise. 

_“I will do anything to keep her. Anything….including burning him to the ground.”_


End file.
